Clinical Psychiatry News articles from January 2004

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from January 2004

Bipolar disorder in kids: complicated.(News)
January 1, 2004... CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Bipolar disorder may cause more severe illness in children than in adults, but the pediatric condition is less readily recognizable than its adult-onset counterpart, according to Dr. Barbara Geller of Washington University,...

Percent of Americans who are 'very worried' about health care--related problems.(Vital Signs)
January 1, 2004... Percent of Americans Who Are 'Very Worried' About Health Care--Related Problems Note: Based on a national survey of a random sample of 1,211 adults conducted April 3-6, 2003; the margin of error is [+ or -]3%. Source: Kaiser Family...

APA's guidelines on suicide hail antidepressant Tx: more than 34,000 studies were weighed, researched to formulate new approaches.(News)
January 1, 2004... The American Psychiatric Association's first comprehensive practice guidelines on suicide are the product of years of research and exhaustive debate among experts on the committee and eight professional organizations. More than 34,000...

Medicare reform includes 2-year fee schedule fix: Medicare drug law blocks 4.5% cut in 2004.(News)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Physicians have 2 more years to lobby for a permanent legislative fix to Medicare's flawed reimbursement formula. The historic $400 billion Medicare overhaul/prescription drug bill (H.R. 1) blocked a projected 4.5% cut to...

Risperidone is approved for Tx of mania in bipolar disorder.(News)
January 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration has approved risperidone for the short-term treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, making it one of several approvals last year for a bipolar indication. Last month,...

Test helps draw line between bipolar, ADHD.(News)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- The use of an objective measure such as the Continuous Performance Test can help distinguish bipolar affective disorder from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in aggressive adolescents, Dr. Mark J. Smith reported in a poster...

AMA crafts plan to improve Medicaid coverage.(News)
January 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- Patient access to Medicaid and physician reimbursement from the program have reached the critical point, delegates said at the interim meeting of the American Medical Association's House of Delegates. After heated debate, 94%...

Letter: risk of sudden sleep with Permax.(News)
January 1, 2004... Patients who take the dopamine agonist pergolide either for Parkinson's disease or other conditions may be at risk for falling asleep with no perceived warning while driving or engaged in other activities of daily living, Dr. Patrizia A....

AMA seeks tort reform to raise membership.(News)
January 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- In the complicated calculus that governs membership in professional societies, winning--whether the win is in state houses or on Capitol Hill--is the only thing. Medicare reform counts as a big win on the scoreboard for the...

Top 10 stories in psychiatry of 2003: new scientific knowledge and research, in addition to drug approvals, changed landscape for clinicians.(News)
January 1, 2004... Last year saw new concerns for strengthening and expanding mental health services across the country as well as a host of new drug approvals that broaden the range of available prescribing choices for psychiatrists treating disorders with...

Friedmans caught, truth still at large.(Reel Life)
January 1, 2004... In the 1980s our culture of victimization was forming. Trauma became fashionable again--after a century--as an explanation for psychological misery. PTSD joined our ever more acronymous language. Rap groups, stress claims, and sensational...

A burden we don't need.(Guest Editorial)
January 1, 2004... "Would you like some cheese with that whine?" This appears to be the message that the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) is sending to medical students who criticize the implementation of the new clinical skills assessment...

It's not so nice to share.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Lawyer C. Mitchell Goldman said that once a lawsuit is filed, the legal defense may be more difficult to pursue ("Malpractice Insurers Focusing on Managing Risk," November 2003, p. 67). If physicians report incidents early, he said, they...

Do you prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction in your practice?(Talk Back Online)
January 1, 2004... Do you prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction in your practice? (December 2003, p. 32) NO 67% YES 33% Note: Table made from pie chart. To Talk Back, visit www.eclinicalpsychiatrynews.com

Conviction or belief?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Dr. Carmen V. Zuk and Gerald H. Zuk, Ph.D., are not alone in their dissatisfaction with attempts to approach the correct definition of delusions ("A Defining Error," Letters, October 2003, p. 16). Obviously, the term "belief" does not always...

SSRIs favored as adjunctive Tx for BPD.(Practical Psychopharmacology)
January 1, 2004... Psychotherapy is generally the primary treatment in borderline personality disorder, but medication is almost always part of the picture. A National Institute of Mental Health--sponsored study of patients with any of four personality...

Engage eating disorder patients.(Guest Editorial)
January 1, 2004... Improving the track record of treatment success in eating disorders requires the adoption of an integrated approach. Psychopharmaceuticals have been shown to aid in some reduction of some psychotic and depressive symptoms and in some weight...

Should psychiatric treatment be mandated for outpatients who are severely mentally ill?(Pro & Con)
January 1, 2004... YES There is an appropriate role for mandating outpatient treatment for patients who have evidenced an inability to manage their own illness through repetitive decompensation and repeated hospitalizations. Opponents of mandatory...

Should psychiatric treatment be mandated for outpatients who are severely mentally ill?(Pro & Con)
January 1, 2004... NO The National Mental Health Association is against the use and expansion of involuntary outpatient treatment. Mandating psychiatric care for people with serious mental illness is an overly simplistic solution to an extremely complex...

Creative solutions to a big problem.(Guest Editorial)
January 1, 2004... Our nation's desperate shortage of child psychiatrists comes as no surprise. At a minimum, 10% of children in the United States have a mental health disorder. At least half of these children, I would say, would benefit by being seen by a child...

Helping patients between sessions.(Fink! Still at Large)
January 1, 2004... We all have strategies aimed at making our work with patients more productive. What strategies have you used with patients between sessions--such as giving them handouts to read or tapes to listen to--that have enriched the therapeutic...

Baclofen for opioid dependence.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Baclofen appears to keep patients in treatment longer, to decrease withdrawal severity, and to decrease depressive symptoms of patients addicted to opioids than does placebo, according to a double-blind study of 40 patients in Iran. Twenty...

Venlafaxine, paroxetine in OCD.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Venlafaxine and paroxetine have a similar efficacy and frequency of adverse events in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, reported Dr. Damiaan Denys and his colleagues at University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands. At the...

Antipsychotics for acute mania.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Bipolar disorder patients with acute mania undergo remission of mania and depression at a similar rate in short-term treatment with olanzapine or haloperidol, reported Dr. Mauricio Tohen of Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, and his...

Brain size in bipolar disorder.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Adults and adolescents with bipolar I disorder have significantly smaller amygdalae than healthy control patients, according to a cross-sectional. MRI study. The bilateral amygdala volumes of 22 adult and 14 adolescent outpatients with...

Family's view of bipolar disorder affects outcome.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Family-focused therapy is an effective adjunct to pharmacologic treatment in the stabilization and maintenance of patients with bipolar disorder, David J. Miklowitz, Ph.D., said at an industry-sponsored symposium held at the American...

Olanzapine helps compliance in schizophrenia.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC -- Patients receiving olanzapine are achieving greater symptom control and longer treatment compliance than those on other leading atypical antipsychotic medications, researchers reported from 6-month results of the...

Atypicals still seen as drugs of choice for schizophrenia.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... SACRAMENTO -- Side effect profile determines the drug one chooses for treating schizophrenia, and that means an atypical, said Dr. Stephen Marder, addressing the current controversy over whether the second-generation antipsychotics really are...

Work programs benefit schizophrenia patients.(Adult Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... PITTSBURGH -- Meaningful work can lead to reduced symptoms for schizophrenia patients, Gary R. Bond, Ph.D., said at a conference on schizophrenia sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh. Benefits of work also include increased income and...

Insight and medication compliance.(Evidence-Based Psychiatric Medicine)
January 1, 2004... The Patient You have a patient who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. His hospitalization was court mandated after he committed a violent act that was linked to his psychotic illness. Positive psychotic...

The art of Michael Madore.(Visionary Art)
January 1, 2004... Michael Madore has always had what he calls an obsession with diagrams and blueprints. Born and raised in Hartford, Conn., and trained in painting at Yale University in New Haven, Mr. Madore overcame autism and several addictions,...

Recognize risk factors in teen suicide attempters: presence of psychiatric illness, preparedness for the suicidal act increase patient's likelihood of repeat.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Adolescents who attempt suicide often characterize themselves as isolated, unloved or unlovable, and living under unbearable stress. These teens often have a black-and-white outlook on acceptable behavior, and when they...

Suicidal ideation, behavior more likely in bullied teens.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Adolescents are at increased risk of suicidal ideation and behavior if they are exposed to school bullying, particularly if they are victims or victim-perpetrators, according to a prospective follow-up study. One in seven...

Substance use, genetics, environment.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Moderate to substantial genetic influences and modest to moderate environmental influences on substance use appeared in a study of 345 monozygotic (MZ) and 337 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, aged 12-19 years. The study, conducted by Soo Hyun Rhee,...

Comorbidities cost ADHD patients.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... The annual average costs per child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder totaled $1,574, compared with $541 for control children, said Andrine R. Swensen, Ph.D., a consultant for Eli Lilly & Co., and her associates. Those costs included...

Ethnicity affects use of psychotropics.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... African American and Latino children are significantly less likely than white children to use psychotropic medications, said Dr. Laurel K. Leslie of San Diego (Calif.) State University, and her colleagues. A logistic regression analysis of...

Prolactin levels with risperidone.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... In children aged 5-15 years with below-average IQ and disruptive behavior disorders, prolactin levels rose and then declined during risperidone treatment, said Dr. Robert L. Findling of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, and his...

Behavior problems and asthma.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Children with atopic dermatitis may demonstrate behavior problems before they develop asthma, said Jim Stevenson, Ph.D., of the University of Southamptom (England), on behalf of the Early Treatment of the Atopic Child (ETAC) Study Group. ...

Estimated AIDS incidence in children under age 13.(Data Watch)
January 1, 2004... Estimated AIDS Incidence In Children Under Age 13 1992 954 1993 927 1994 821 1995 687 1996 515 1997 329 1998 235 1999 179 2000 120 2001 101 Note: HIV transmission assumed to be perinatal. Source:...

Abdominal pain responds to Rx and therapy.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... COLUMBIA, MO. -- Most children with functional recurrent abdominal pain benefit from behavioral therapy and treatment with anti-anxiety medications, Dr. Alejandro Ramirez said at a meeting on common pediatric problems sponsored by the...

Anxious first graders show lower academic functioning.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... MIAMI -- First graders who are highly anxious and/or shy score significantly lower on reading and math achievement tests, experience lower social acceptance, and have more internalizing symptoms in eighth grade, according to a follow-up study....

Prevention interventions curb substance abuse.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... BALTIMORE -- Delinquency prevention programs have changed much for the better in the last 23 years, through the cooperation of a variety of health professionals, parents, schools, and neighborhoods, J. David Hawkins, Ph.D., said at the annual...

PTSD severity after disaster hinges on proximity, Tx.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among adolescents after a natural disaster depend significantly on proximity to the tragedy and on the type of treatment the victims receive, Dr. Armen Goenjian said at the annual meeting of the...

Self-neglect, psychiatric disorders often linked.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Older adults who screened positive for self-neglect after home-based interviews had a high prevalence of undetected and untreated psychiatric disorders, Dorothy Edwards, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Gerontological...

No magic bullets exist for alcohol dependence.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... ALBUQUERQUE -- Effective pharmacotherapies for the treatment of alcohol dependence do exist, but they must be combined with psychosocial treatment, Dr. Michael Bogenschutz reported at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the University of New...

Smoking cessation program posts impressive quit rates.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- An aggressive smoking cessation program that has enrolled more than 200 New York City fire-fighters has succeeded in getting most of them tobacco free at 3 months. The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center had...

Info processing appears disrupted in ACOAs.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Adult children of alcoholics overestimate and overrespond to auditory stimuli, reported Dr. Steven L. Schandler, Ph.D., during a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research. ...

Use 'five A's' in smoking cessation counseling.(Addiction Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... SEATTLE -- Follow the "five A's" to help patients stop smoking: Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange, Dr. Richard C. Pasternak said. "Nurses are more familiar with these than are physicians," he noted at a meeting on modifying coronary...

P300 detects information over the long term.(Forensic Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- The P300 event-related potential can detect concealed information over an extended period of time, Shinji Hira, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research. The P300 amplitude correctly...

Change in policy on sexuality urged for forensic inpatients.(Forensic Psychiatry)
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- Mentally ill forensic inpatients should be able to appropriately express their sexuality. Dr. John Young said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. "We're all sexual beings," said Dr. Young,...

Memory deficits in schizophrenia explored: disturbances appear isolated in the dorsolateral region of prefrontal cortex, data from MRIs show.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Disturbances in the dorsolateral region of the prefrontal cortex are associated with both working and episodic memory deficits in schizophrenia, Deanna M. Barch, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for...

Transcendental meditation may alter EEG coherence.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- The regular practice of transcendental meditation leads to enduring neuropsychological changes that are evident in brain-wave patterns, Frederick Travis, Ph.D., reported during a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the...

Simple exams work in vestibular testing: up to 50% of migraineurs have vestibular symptoms, including dizziness, motion sensitivity.(Pain Medicine)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Three simple bedside exams are more accurate than most laboratory tests in eliciting objective evidence of vestibular abnormalities in patients with migraine, Dr. David Zee said at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society....

Disabled migraineurs often satisfied with available Tx.(Pain Medicine)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- A patient's satisfaction with migraine treatment may depend substantially on personal expectations. Many migraineurs are dissatisfied with current therapies, but a significant proportion of highly disabled migraineurs are...

To screen for migraines, try using two brief surveys.(Pain Medicine)
January 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Busy clinicians now have at least two simple, three-question screening tools for migraine headaches. One screening survey, recently given to 3,014 patients with migraine headaches, had an overall sensitivity of 77% for...

Body image varies greatly among Asian groups.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
January 1, 2004... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- Studies of weight and body image that categorize Asians as a unified ethnic category miss enormous differences between ethnic groups, Dr. Alayne Yates reported at a meeting sponsored by the International College of...

Psychosocial factors predict depression in breast cancer.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
January 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Psychosocial variables were the strongest predictors of depression in a study of breast cancer survivors, Dr. Wayne A. Bardwell reported at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. "What this says to us is...

Interleukin 6 may tie depression to heart disease.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
January 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Interleukin 6 could be the hidden link between depression and cardiovascular disease, Gregory Miller, Ph.D., said at a symposium sponsored by the National Association for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression. Currently,...

Voodoo death is brain's lethal response to fear.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
January 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Voodoo death--or sudden death brought about by emotional shock--is a confirmed phenomenon, and the reason it occurs is no longer a mystery, Dr. Martin Samuels said at the annual meeting of the Association of Medicine and...

CDC strongly urges physicians to get flu shots.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Getting more physicians and other health care professionals vaccinated against the flu is a key element in efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent transmission of the disease to vulnerable patients....

As early, severe flu season takes hold, vaccine shortages abound.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... Eight deaths due to influenza in the 2003-2004 season have been confirmed in children younger than 16 years in Colorado at press time, local authorities said. In addition, unconfirmed reports of flu-related pediatric deaths in Texas remain...

Top 10 lessons learned from the SARS outbreak in Toronto.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- With respiratory disease season underway, make sure to have plans in place to prepare for a possible reemergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome, Dr. Daniel R. Lucey advised in an interview during a poster session at the...

Test diabetic patients over age 50 for PAD: study suggests about 20% of patients with peripheral arterial disease are also diabetic.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... All diabetic patients over 50 years of age should be screened for peripheral arterial disease using the ankle-brachial index, the American Diabetes Association has recommended. If normal, the test should be repeated every 5 years. A...

Weight loss greater with gastric bypass than gastric banding.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Compared with gastric bypass surgery, both laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic gastric banding are safer surgical procedures, Dr. R. Armour Forse said at a symposium on treating gastrointestinal disorders sponsored by Boston...

MRI scans show early CNS changes in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Patients with diabetes who develop peripheral neuropathy experience early central nervous system changes that can be detected rapidly and noninvasively, according to a study presented at annual scientific sessions of the American...

Obese patients often benefit from psychotherapy.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Psychotherapy is the key component of a successful weight-loss program for many obese patients, Gwendolyn Pla, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition. Behavior modification is a widely...

Gastric bypass surgery can alleviate metabolic syndrome.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Gastric bypass surgery is curing morbidly obese patients of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance--to the bafflement of a leading surgeon who performs the operation. "If you get rid of the obesity, all of...

Mediterranean diet, fewer heart events linked.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Eating a Mediterranean diet is associated with significantly reduced levels of C-reactive protein and other inflammatory markers, Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Ph.D., said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart...

Caffeine affects central BP.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... Acute caffeine intake raises central but not peripheral blood pressure in healthy people who drink coffee regularly, said Dr. W. Stephen Waring and his associates at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). In a study of 20 healthy subjects...

Surgical options exist to preserve fertility: but a lack of awareness may lead some cancer patients to undergo unnecessary sterilization.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- Although there are options for preserving fertility in cancer patients, lack of awareness among patients and oncologists too often results in unnecessary sterilization, Dr. Togas Tulandi said at the annual meeting of the American...

Male infertility could signal other genetic problems.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- Extremely low sperm counts are often caused by genetic defects that could pose other health risks to affected men and their potential offspring, Dolores Lamb, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

Primary and secondary syphilis rising in men, falling in women.(Data Watch)
January 1, 2004... Primary and Secondary Syphilis Rising In Men, Falling in Women Rates per 100,000 in population Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Despite guidelines, U.S. condom use still low.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- A new national survey shows condom use among sexually active adults is notably low, even among those with known genital herpes or other sexually transmitted diseases. Clearly, the public has not heeded the message put forth by...

Reducing Pap test frequency may be a hard sell.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... Physicians could be hard-pressed to convince their female patients that some don't need an annual Pap smear, a study has shown. In a series of eight focus group sessions meant to gauge women's perceptions about risk-based cervical cancer...

Silent MI likely in 17% of postmenopausal women.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- More than 17% of postmenopausal women have a moderate or high likelihood of having silent myocardial infarction, based on findings from more than 60,000 women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative. This high...

FDA approves once-weekly hormone patch.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Climara Pro transdermal patch--the first once-a-week, combined hormone therapy for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. "Patients appreciate the convenience of a...

Preventive mastectomy leaves mark on sexuality.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- Long-term satisfaction with the decision to undergo bilateral prophylactic mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction is frequently diminished by unanticipated changes in body image and the sexual relationship, Paula J.C....

Testosterone patch improved postmenopausal sexual desire.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- Surgically menopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder experienced significant relief when wearing both an estrogen and a testosterone patch in a placebo-controlled trial. "This is the first study to evaluate the...

Estrogen users fared better than nonusers on cognitive testing.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... MIAMI BEACH -- Postmenopausal estrogen users performed significantly better on computerized cognitive tests than nonusers, suggesting that the hormone may have a beneficial effect on cognition in some women, Joan Friebely, Ed.D., reported in a...

Stress management brings asthma, allergy benefits.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Treating patients' stress can also improve their asthma and allergies, Dr. Gailen D. Marshall Jr. said at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. "There is clearly a relationship...

Asthma across America.(Data Watch)
January 1, 2004... Asthma Across America Note: Estimates are based on the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Source: GlaxoSmithKline Respiratory Institute

Cough CPR may work to prevent sudden cardiac death.(Across Specialties)
January 1, 2004... VIENNA -- Properly timed self-resuscitative coughing is a life-saving intervention in patients experiencing sudden circulatory arrest in out-of-hospital settings, Dr. Tadeusz K. Petelenz declared at the annual congress of the European Society...

New patient fees make up for lower revenue.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2004... Copying medical paperwork just got more expensive--for the patient. Barraged by rising medical liability premiums and diminishing Medicare payments, a small but growing number of office-based physicians are charging patients for administrative...

Aetna, CIGNA cases put different spin on claims fraud.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Recent lawsuits against Aetna, CIGNA, and other insurers have put an entirely different spin on reimbursement issues, John Hartwig said at a forum sponsored by the American Health Lawyers Association. Much of the federal...